South Korean medical community protests specimen test fee reductions

The South Korean medical community is strongly opposing a government proposal to reduce reimbursement fees for specimen testing, such as blood and urine tests. Health authorities have proposed the cuts based on a study claiming that the cost compensation rate for these tests is as high as 192%.

Medical professionals argue that the data used to justify the reduction is fundamentally flawed. They contend that the sample size of 168 institutions represents only 0.24% of all medical facilities and fails to include critical entities, such as major general hospitals, nursing hospitals, and specialized outsourcing agencies that handle a significant portion of testing.

Critics also point to structural errors in the calculation, noting that the inclusion of institutional add-on payments (jongbyeol-gasan) artificially inflates the compensation rate. Without these add-ons, experts estimate the actual rates for tertiary hospitals and general hospitals would drop to approximately 148% and 154%, respectively. The Korea Medical Devices Industry Association (KMDIA) plans to hold a workshop on November 3 to discuss the potential impact on the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry, medical practitioners, and patients.